California’s progressive policies have pushed up major employers such as Tesla, Chevron and Hewlett Packard. Now, the owner of In-N-Out says that she and her family are leaving her hometown.
In-n-out president and owner leave California
The owner of In-N-Out has announced that she will be leaving California and moving with her family to her new office in Franklin, Tennessee.
Straight Arrow News
- In-N-Out Burger has its second headquarters in Tennessee.
- Owner Linci Snyder cited California’s high taxes, cost of living and difficult business conditions as reasons for the move.
- In California, we have seen businesses and residents leave other states, particularly Texas.
- California’s policies, including Covid-19 restrictions and increased minimum wages, contribute to the Exodus Book.
One of the simple joys I experienced when my kids and I moved to Texas was finally living near in-n-out.
It tastes the West Coast atmosphere of the classic California brand, double double and animal style fries. Plus, it can supply five people for under $50. It’s not a bad thing in this economy.
I’m not the only one thinking about in-n-out economics. Linsisnyder, the owner of the burger chain, announced that he was evacuating Deep Blue California due to the friendly environment in Red State Tennessee, where the company founded by his grandparents in 1948 is building its second headquarters.
Snyder said she is leaving the West Coast for the South Central, for her family and her business.
“There are a lot of great things in California, but raising a family is not easy here,” Snyder told podcaster Ally Beth Stucky on July 18th.
You can’t blame Snyder for giving up on California. She joins business leaders such as Elon Musk, companies such as Chevron and Tesla, as well as hundreds of thousands of ordinary people who have fled California for better lives and better business opportunities in other states.
California is a liberal fortress that promotes tax rates and incredibly extreme costs of living, even if the quality of life of its residents declines.
In-n-out owner checks out from her hometown
The fact that Snyder left the state where her family made her fortune nearly 80 years ago is another indicator of California’s decline. Snyder said state policies, including radical restrictions during the Covid-19 pandemic, have made it difficult for businesses to run.
Many people and businesses are not only fleeing California, but also moving to red states with dramatically different approaches to politics and policy.
My hometown of Texas in recent years has become a new home for many former California businesses, including Hewlett Packard, McAfee, Charles Schwab, and Realtor.com.
A large number of ordinary Californians have also left. From July 1, 2023 to July 1, 2024, California lost a net of approximately 240,000 residents to other states. The state’s overall population increased in 2024 after a few years of decline due to immigration from other countries.
Of course, California still has exceptional natural resources, including hundreds of miles of beautiful coastlines, majestic mountains, redwood forests, and world-class farmland and vineyards.
What it doesn’t have is a political leader with an economic sense or common sense. California has landed in its last location, according to rankings for the best and worst state business magazines. For entrepreneurs who found California to rank 48th, California ranked 48th in the 2021 Cato Institute study.
But California lawmakers still don’t understand the allocation. On January 1st, the state minimum wage increased to a whopping $16.50 an hour for all businesses, with fast food workers paying a minimum of $20 an hour. This means employers either take pay cuts, charge more customers, or eliminate employment.
Or they move out of state.
The owner of California’s iconic burger chain will soon trade Golden State beaches for Tennessee hills. And if she wants to sample the best barbecues in the world, she is welcome here in Texas.
Nicole Russell is an opinion columnist for USA Today. She lives in Texas with her four children. Sign up for her newsletter, the right track and deliver it to your inbox.
